dried

cut and dried

Prearranged, unchangeable, and dull. When it appears before a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated. The coursework is cut and dried, so don't even think about coming to me in pursuit of extra credit.There are no cut-and-dried solutions here. We need to come up with something.

dried-up

1. Describing something that has lost all moisture. Do you think it's time to throw out these dried-up flowers?

2. slang Old and undesirable. Oh, I'm just a dried-up hag—who would want to marry me now?

dry off

To remove wetness from oneself, someone, or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "off." Here's a towel so you can dry yourself off when you get out of the pool.Can you answer the phone while I dry off my hands?

dry out

1. To lose moisture Hang your wet clothes outside on the clothesline so that they dry out.

2. To act to remove wetness from something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "out." Dry your wet clothes out by hanging them on the clothesline outside.

3. slang To stop feeling the effects of alcohol; to become sober again. Make sure he stays here and dries out before attempting to drive home.

4. slang To cause someone to stop feeling the effects of alcohol and become sober again. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "out." I'm trying to dry him out before he drives home, but it seems like the cup of coffee I gave him has had no impact.

5. slang To receive treatment for alcoholism. Is it true that Uncle Tom is drying out at a rehab facility for awhile?

dry someone or something off

dry someone out

Fig. to cause someone to become sober; to cause someone to stop drinking alcohol to excess. If the doctor at the clinic can't dry him out, no one can.The hospital will dry out Mary and start treatment.

cut and dried

Ready-made, predetermined and not changeable. For example, The procedure is not quite cut and dried-there's definitely room for improvisation. This expression originally alluded to herbs for sale in a shop, as opposed to fresh, growing herbs. [c. 1900]

cut and dried

COMMON If a situation or issue is cut and dried, it is clear and definite. Now, this situation is not as cut and dried as it may seem.The link between stress and heart attacks is by no means cut and dried, although most people feel intuitively that it exists.There are no cut-and-dried answers to the problem.What appeared to be a cut-and-dried issue, may in fact be a little more complex. Note: One explanation for this expression is that it refers to wood which has been cut and dried and is ready to use. Alternatively, it may refer to herbs that have been harvested and dried, to be used for cooking and medicine.

cut and dried

cut and ˈdried

(of matters, arrangements or opinions) completely decided and unlikely to be changed: By the end of the evening their plans for carrying out the robbery were cut and dried, with nothing left to chance. ♢ The police thought they had a cut-and-dried case.

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